Adjustable wheel structure



Nov. 16, 1948. A, w, BRAUN 2,454,130

ADJUSTABLE WHEEL STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 5, 1947 2 s Sheets-$heet 1 Inventor I38 I I Armand W. Braun Fig-6- By Nov. 16, 1948. 4 A. w. BRAUN ADJUSTABLE WHEEL STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 5, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Armand W. Braun av. 16, 1948. A. w. BRAUN ADJUSTABLE WHEEL STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 5, 1947 Armand W. Braun Patented Nov. 16, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,454,130 ADJUSTABLE wnaens'muc'rrma Armand W. Braun, Grafton, Iowa Application August 5, 1947, Serial No. 786,337

7 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in adiustable wheel structures for use especially, although not necessarily, on tractors.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a simply constructed, practical tractor wheel with means for quickly and accurately adjusting the tread'laterally of the hub so as to vary the tread gauge between a Pair of such wheels while mounted on axles of the same length.

Another object is to provide for easily and quickly setting the tread into adjusted position.

Still another object is to provide a wheel of the character and for the purpose above set forth which is not liable to get out of order and is,

comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and use.

Other and subordinate objects, also comprehended by my invention, together with the precise nature of my improvements. and the advantages thereof will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, partly broken away and shown in section, of a preferred embodiment of my improved wheel structure with the outer hub section removed to show the parts within the hub;

Figure 2 is a view in vertical section taken on the irregular line 2--2 of Figure 1 and showing in broken lines the manner in which the tread of the wheel is adjusted, in one adjustment thereof;

Figure 3 is a view in vertical section of the felly and rim drawn to a smaller scale and illustrating the rim shifted laterally on the felly;

Figure 4 is a view in front elevation partly in section of the master worm wheel;

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of one of the spokes;

Figure 6 is a view in plan, partly in section, of the wrench;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary view in vertical section of a modified embodiment of hub for the wheel; I

Figure 8 is a view in vertical section taken on the line 88 in Figure '7; v

Figure 9 is a similar view taken on the line ii9 in Figure '1; and,

Figure 10 is a view in side elevation of the modified embodiment of hub.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals. and first to Figures 1 to 6 thereof, according to my invention in the preferred embodiment thereof. a traction wheel for a tractor. not shown, is provided comprising a hub i, spokes 2, a felly 3 and a tire retaining rim 4 all constructed and arranged for lateral shifting of the felly 2 and rim 4 relative to the huh I to correspondingly shift the tread of a pneumatic tire 5 carried by said rim 4.

The hub i comprises a pair of disk-like hub sections 3 bolted together, side by side, by bolts 1 by means of which said sections are secured concentrically to the flange 3 of the-usual brake drum 9 of the tractor. The hub i-is fixed in driven relation to the usual axle section it extending out of the axle housing Ii through a bearing i2 and having a circular end flange l3 1 thereon to which said huh I is secured by bolts H. The hub sections 3 are recessed, as at It, in the axis thereof to house therein coaxially therewith a master worm wheel it presently de scribed, and also recessed in the confronting sides thereof to provide a plurality of bores I'I extending tangentially from the recess it to the rim of said hub, and grouped around said hub,

co-planar therewith, in equi distantly spaced relation, said bores l1 serving a purpose presently seen.

The spokes 2 have the forms of shafts i3 Journaled in bearings I! in said bores II with a worm gear pinion 20 fastened on the inner ends thereof rotatable in enlarged sockets 2| at the inner end of said bores l1 communicating with the recess i5. Outer end cranks 22 extend between the huh I and felly 3 from the shafts it with reduced outer ends 23 terminating in ball members 24.

The felly 3 comprises a pair of annular metal sections 25, 26 bolted together, side by side, as at 21, and formed with bulging spherical sockets 28 with bearing liners 29 therein and into which the reduced ends 23 of the cranks 22 extend with the ball members 24 rotatably fitted in said liners 29.

The rim 4 is of the usual form for a pneumatic tire but is detachably secured on the telly 3 for lateral shifting thereon through the following means. Series of flat key lugs Iii are provided on s the inner circumferential face of the rim 4, the

series being equi-distantly spaced apart around said face and there being. Preferably, three lugs 30 in each series, the lugs in each series being equi-distantly spaced apart laterally across said rim with the center lug in each series in the circumferential center of said rim. External, transverse slots 3i are provided in the telly 3 to accommodate the series of lugs 30 and permit the rim 4 to be fitted sidewiseover said felly. Clamping lugs 32 are secured in pairs to opposite sides of the felly 3 by bolts 33, opposite slots 3|, to be selectively clamped by said bolts to opposite sides of corresponding lugs of the series whereby the rim 4 and tire 5 may be shifted laterally of the felly 3 into different adjusted positions, in a manner which will be clear.

The master worm wheel I5 is provided in the recess l5 to mesh with the worm gear pinions 23 and is provided with front and rear side hub sections 35, 3-6 joumaled in said recess l5 in the axis of the hub l with the front hub section exposed at the outboard side of the wheel and provided with an axial square socket- 31 for receiving a spud wrench 38, such as shown in Figure 6, whereby the master worm wheel 34 may be rotatabiy adjusted by said wrench as occasion may require. A circular series of equi-distantly spaced sockets 39 is provided in the face of the front hub section 35 to be aligned selectively with a pair of diametrically opposite apertures in the hub section 8 on the outboard side of the wheel to gauge adjustment of said master worm wheel IS in equi-distant steps of rotation, one of said apertures 40 being shown in Figure 2. The spud wrench 38 is provided with a pilot point 4| for insertion through said apertures 40 into the sockets 39 to facilitate aligning said sockets with said apertures.

As will be clear, the spokes 2 are arranged in the hub I so that the cranks l8 may be revolved in the same direction out of the plane of the hub i under rotary adjustment of the master worm wheel E6 to thereby adjust the felly 3, rim 4 and tire 5 laterally of the hub I in relatively opposite directions, the sockets 28 and ball members 24 providing universal joint connections between said felly 3 and the spokes 2 permitting rotation of said felly and side movement thereof relative to the hub i compensating for the throw of said cranks 22. Rotary adjustment of the master worm wheel l5 may be accomplished through the spud wrench 33, in the manner described, with the axle housing ll jacked up to lift the tire 5 off the ground. Such adjustment of the felly 3., rim Land tire 5 is maintained due to the fact that the worm gear pinions 20 cannot drive the master worm wheel 34. Thus the tread gauge of the tires of such wheels may be varied within a wide range of adjustments and such adjustments may be supplemented .by lateral shifting of the rim 4 on the felly 3, in the manner previously described. As will be evident, the felly 3, rim 4 and tire 5 are always adjusted to maintain the same concentric to the hub I, or, in other words, the axis of rotation.

In the modified embodiment of my invention shown in Figures 7 to 10, the axle rotatably extends through the master worm wheel 46 outwardly of the hub sections 41 and through a pair v of circular clutch plates 48, 49 bolted, as at 58, to said hub sections 41 concentrically thereof at the outboard and inboard side of said hub and with axial apertures 5| therein in which said axle 45 is fitted. The clutch plates 48, 49 are keyed to the axle 45.jas at 52. Segmental clutch shoes 53 vertically adjustable in recesses 54 in the clutch plates 48, 49 are clampingly engaged with the axle 45 by set screws 54 threaded into said plates 48, 48. The glutch shoes 53 are keyed, as at 55, to said axle 45. Thus the hub sections 41 are secured to the axle 45 to be driven by the axle solely. For adjusting the master worm wheel 46, the same is provided with a hub gear 58 recessed into the clutch plate 48 on the outboard side of the hub and which meshes with a smaller gear 51 rotatable in a recess 58 in said plate on a square end shaft 59 journaled in and extending out of said'plate 48 for operation by the described spud wrench 33 which is formed with a socket 89 for fitting the squared end of said shaft. The clutch plate 48 is provided with apertures SI for registry with sockets 82 in the gear 56, corresponding to the sockets 39 in the master worm wheel IS. The purpose of the apertures 5i and sockets 82 is the same as the sockets 35 and-apertures 40. Obviously the described modified embodiment of the invention eliminates attachment of the hub to the brake drum flange, as in the preferred embodiment of the invention, and fianging the axle, as in the preferred embodiment.

The foregoing will, it is believed, sufiice to impart a clear understanding of my invention, without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as wall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a wheel structure, a hub, a tire retaining rim, and means for adjusting said rim laterally of said hub comprising spokes rotatableiin said hub, and means to rotate said spokes in unison.

2. In a wheel structure, a hub, a tire retaining rim, and means for adjusting said rim laterally of said hub comprising spokes rotatable in said hub, and means to rotate said spokes in unison comprising a worm wheel rotatable in said hub and worm gear pinions on said spokes meshing with said worm wheel.

3. In a wheel structure, a hub, a, felly having a tire retaining rim thereon, and means for adjusting said felly laterally of said hub to correspondingly adjust a tire retained on said rim comprising spokes' rotatable in said hub and having outer end cranks thereon universally connected to said felly, and means for rotating said spokes in unison.

4. In a wheel structure, a hub, a felly, having a tire retaining rim thereon, and means for adjusting said felly laterally of said hub to correspondingly adjust a tire retained on said rim comprising spokes rotatable in said hub and having outer end cranks thereon, ball and socket joint connections between said cranks and felly, and means for rotating said spokes in unison.

5. In a wheel structure, a hub, a felly, having a tire retaining rim thereon, and means for adjusting said felly laterally of said hub to correspondingly adjust a tire retained on said rim comprising spokes rotatable in said hub and having outer end cranks thereon, ball and socket joint connections between said cranks and felly, and means for rotating said spokes in unison, comprising a worm wheel rotatable in said hub, and worm gear pinions on the inner ends of said spokes meshing with said worm wheel.

6. In a wheel structure, a. hub, a felly, having a tire retaining rim thereon, and means for adjusting said felly laterally of said hub to correspondingly adjust a tire retained on said rim comprising spokes rotatable in said hub and having outer endcranks thereon, ball and socket joint connections between said cranks and felly, and means for rotating said spokes in unison, comprising a worm wheel rotatable in said hub, and worm gear pinions on the inner ends of said spokes meshing with said worm wheel, said wheel 6 to said telly, and means for rotating said spokes in unison, and means on said telly and rim for adjusting said rim laterally of said telly to supplement lateral adjustment of said rim by said ARMOND W. BRAUN.

No references cited.

5 telly. 

